New UK gambling restrictions
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There have been calls from many quarters for the UK Gambling Commission to introduce new legislation for various aspects of the iGaming industry. Some new UK gambling restrictions have now been brought forward that will have some major changes for many operators across the sector.
Changes to games
One of the major changes that we will see being put in place is limitations and changes to various functions and features of slot games. Many of these are focused around accurately displaying the amount of money a player might be winning or losing.
For example, many “win” functions in slots at the moment are celebrated with flashing lights and potentially a jingle played on the game’s soundtrack. The new restrictions will be limiting these so they do not play if a supposed “win” actually surmounts to less than or equal to the original wager.
New changes also mean that functions that allow for quick-spins faster than 2.5 seconds or autoplay controls will be banned. There are many concerns that such features cause players to lose track of time spent betting, and the amount that they have wagered, even with the existing restrictions in place that are supposed to remind players of these factors.
Operators and licensees have until October 31 of 2021 to ensure that all necessary changes are made to comply with these new UK gambling restrictions.
Changes to reverse withdrawals
Some casinos have allowed reverse withdrawals until this point. Upon requesting a withdrawal, the player would have been able to cancel it and instead re-gamble those funds.
Many withdrawals take a couple of business days to properly process, and so casinos allowed players to change their mind about that decision in this time.
However, the new UK gambling restrictions will ban such withdrawal. It is thought that by doing so, it will remove the temptation of continuing to gamble for some players. Once the withdrawal has been requested, it will have to be processed and completed.
What does this mean for affiliates and affiliate managers?
Affiliates and affiliate managers need to be aware of changes such as these so they can always remain compliant with the latest laws and guidance. All material that is pushed out to players must fit with the rules and regulations currently in place, and this might include a review of old material.
As these new changes come about, an affiliate management should check through each of the brands and licensees within their program. Should they be pulling their games from the UK market or failing to announce a move to change to fit the new laws, the program will need to be restructured to remove them and any promotion of this brand.
These are likely to be just the first of new UK gambling restrictions we see in coming months. Affiliate managers need to be on the ball and watching for the announcement of these new restrictions so they can ensure that their programs are always as compliant as possible.
